[Closed] What are you currently reading....

[Joe]

I've just finished the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and am now munching my way through the 2nd of the 3.

[[deleted user]]

@ Joe - I loved those books. And if you can get the Swedish films on DVD I highly recommend them.

[Joe]

I'm really enjoying them too, after finishing the 1st I took up what I thought was the 2nd only to cop on around page 100 it was the 3rd!

[Roberta]

Sarazen wrote: "I finished HFS. It was a fallen souffle of a book. I advise others to take a pass on it. I'm back to finishing The Book Thief and I've started [bookco..."

I was irritated with [book:Her Fearful Symmetry|6202342] and gave it a very sketchy read. Love your description, "fallen souffle".

[Roberta]

Just finishing off Ireland by Frank Delaney. Excellent read. Made me ponder history in a whole new way.

I'm reading Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading and Elegy for April, a mystery right now.

[aprilla]

Roberta wrote: "I was irritated with Her Fearful Symmetry and gave it a very sketchy read. Love your description, "fallen souffle"..."

While not my usual tyoe I enjoyed Her Fearful Symmetry, it passed a couple of rainy days very nicely and the narration by Bianca Amato was very good I thought.

[Mo]

I am currently reading The Year of the French . It's quite long and I am traveling, so it will take me a while. I also was given Thingamajigs and Whatchamacallits: Unfamiliar Terms for Familiar Things this morning. It looks great!

[[deleted user]]

Just started The Devil's Star

[Roberta]

Mo wrote: "I am currently reading The Year of the French . It's quite long and I am traveling, so it will take me a while. I also was given Thingamajigs and Whatchamac..."

Loved The Year of the French. It has stayed with me for years. Happy reading.

[Pauline]

Joe wrote: "I've just finished the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and am now munching my way through the 2nd of the 3."

Oh i can't wait to start on that one, i am reading about 9 books at the same time, but i mustn't bring another book into the house till i get through at least half of them!

[Anty]

Pauline wrote: "Joe wrote: "I've just finished the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and am now munching my way through the 2nd of the 3."

Oh i can't wait to start on that one, i am reading about 9 books at the sa..."

I have all of the books from that series for ages but haven't got a chance to read it. Too many books so little time.

I'm reading The Coffee Trader by David Liss. So far is still okay :)

[Susan]

Anty wrote: "Pauline wrote: "Joe wrote: "I've just finished the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and am now munching my way through the 2nd of the 3."

Oh i can't wait to start on that one, i am reading about 9..."
I loved "The Coffee Trader." It sucked me right in. I learned so much from it and I just loved the people chewing the coffee beans. Now that's an addiction.

[J.S.]

Just finishing Ghost Light by O'Connor. He used little fact in his portrayal of Synge's lover Molly (as he admits in the author's note) as an aging drunk & used even less as to his portrayals of Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory who must be doing backflips in their graves. Every character seems to be a caricature which is odd because Synge was himself accused of stereotyping the Irish common man and giving them stilted speech in his works.

The prose style is good but not captivating, imo. Will have to try his Star of the Sea at some point to see if it is similar.

[Carol]

J.S. wrote: "Just finishing Ghost Light by O'Connor. He used little fact in his portrayal of Synge's lover Molly (as he admits in the author's note) as an aging drunk & used even less as to his p..."
I thoroughly recommend Star of the Sea, it is a wonderful book which is so well written, it is hard to get the characters out of your head when the book is over

[Susan]

I know this probably the right spot but what the heck?
I ordered "Lucy Gault" as it seemed to be winning the vote and I have William Trevor on my to read list. I read an interview with Maeve Binchey and she named him as her favorite author. I, also, ordered "The Year of the French". All the discussions of it made it seem very interesting.

[J.S.]

Carol wrote: "J.S. wrote: "Just finishing Ghost Light by O'Connor. He used little fact in his portrayal of Synge's lover Molly (as he admits in the author's note) as an aging drunk & used even les..."

Thank you, Carol , will soon try it !
jsd

[Laura]

In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin
I am currently struggling through In the Garden of the Beasts for my "real time" book club. Although it is a good book and well researched it is just too horrifying. I can't wait to get back to my Irish "to read" list. I will be rereading Lucy Gualt. Then I have to go with something light.

[Laura]

Carol wrote: "J.S. wrote: "Just finishing Ghost Light by O'Connor. He used little fact in his portrayal of Synge's lover Molly (as he admits in the author's note) as an aging drunk & used even les..."

Star of the Sea is most def on my list. I read somewhere that there are actually very few books written related to the famine or its aftermath. I wonder if that is true and why that would be considering the famine is such a huge part of Irish history.

[Núria]

J.S. wrote: "Just finishing Ghost Light by O'Connor. He used little fact in his portrayal of Synge's lover Molly (as he admits in the author's note) as an aging drunk & used even less as to his p..."

J.S., I strongly recommend "Star of the Sea". It is beautifully written and it keeps you interested throughout the whole book. You'll like it. Ghost Light is on my to-read list.

[Susan]

I am reading the "Butterfly Cabinet" and I have some questions if anyone can help me.
1. They talk about St. Brigid's Day. What is that and is still celebrated?
2. Is there still fox hunting in N. Ireland?
3. Are all houses in N. Ireland yellow? This is the third book I've read with a yellow house.
4. They were collecting razorbill eggs? What is a razorbill?
Thank you.

[[deleted user]]

Susan wrote: "I am reading the "Butterfly Cabinet" and I have some questions if anyone can help me.
1. They talk about St. Brigid's Day. What is that and is still celebrated?
2. Is there still fox hunting in N. ..."

Hi, Susan.

I can answer some of those questions to degree. St. Brigid'd day was never celebrated publicly, but every February we would make her crosses in School.


There was a law passed in the UK a few years ago which banned fox hunting. Although I don't think it was ever as fashionable in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

There was a fashion for a while in using yellow bricks for building which was soon overtaken by cheaper red bricks. After a while they both start to look a dingy brown colour from weathering, so they look almost exactly the same. There is a famous pub in Rathfarnam, Dublin, called the Yellow House. It's made with the old yellow bricks. The owners spend a small fortune to keep it looking pristine.

The razorbill is a coastal seabird. That's all I know, really. I've never laid my own eyes on one. I think they're only found much further north than Dublin. What little I know comes from a poster in an old classroom from my primary school days.

I hope that helped.

[Susan]

Thank you. I appreciate the information.

[Jim]

Declan wrote: "Susan wrote: "I am reading the "Butterfly Cabinet" and I have some questions if anyone can help me.
1. They talk about St. Brigid's Day. What is that and is still celebrated?
2. Is there still fox ..."

Declan wrote: "Susan wrote: "I am reading the "Butterfly Cabinet" and I have some questions if anyone can help me.
1. They talk about St. Brigid's Day. What is that and is still celebrated?
2. Is there still fox ..."

Declan & Susan,

I've had an interest in ornithology since a little boy, so no surprise that while on a research trip to NI, I took the car ferry to Rathlin Island, off the north coast of Antrim. There, near West Light, there's a sanctuary for birds that spend most of their lives at sea, except for nesting time. On the rocky, volcanic, precipitous cliffs that fall straight down to the sea, I saw fulmars, kittiwakes, razor bills and puffins in every crevice, by, and I'm not kidding, the tens of thousands.

Even without the birds, it's worth the trip. Spectacular spot, and on a clear day you can see the Mull of Kintyre, about twelve miles away. Good B&B there in a restored 18th century gentleman's house. Careful of Slough na Morra (Swallow of the Sea) on the ferry ride, though. Don't miss it on the Giant's Causeway jaunt.

Jim

[Susan]

Wow, that sounds wonderful. Yoou painted a real picture for me. I knew Scotland was close but I didn't know it's just 12 miles. Thank you.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks, Jim. You've sold it to me. The next free slot that arises in my calendar is getting earmarked for a trip to Antrim and Rathlin, if possible.

[Aoibhínn]

I started on The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf last night. I'm a few chapters into it so far and its a bit of a page turner.

[Laura]

I just finished The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty by Sebastian Barry who remains my favorite fiction writer-at least for now. This book is a beautifully written novel about a decent, naive young man who gets disastrously caught up in the complex politics of early 20th Century Ireland. Life, politics, history...are never simple. Barry does an incredibly job of writing about life's complexity with all its humanity and brutality.

[Aoibhínn]

I just started reading the second book in the Stephanie Plum series Two for the Dough.

[I-like-to-read]

I've just finished The Sense of an Ending and have a few questions about the ending.

Anyone else read it?

I don't want to post the questions here as they might be potential spoilers, but if you have read it I'm sure you know what my questions are, you can pm me for a more private chat.

[[deleted user]]

I-like-to-read wrote: "I've just finished The Sense of an Ending and have a few questions about the ending.

Anyone else read it?

I don't want to post the questions here as they might be potential spoi..."

If you get responses, please feel free to open a thread in the general folder.

[I-like-to-read]

Thanks but I really don't want to ruin the ending for some.

Kate

[[deleted user]]

I-like-to-read wrote: "Thanks but I really don't want to ruin the ending for some.

Kate"

Just mention that it will contain spoilers or that it's for readers who've finished the book. If you get more than one response you'd have a better discussion if you could leave it open. The discussions will be left open for members use, anyway.

[Sarah]

I am currently reading:


The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Unaccustomed Earth
A Clash of Kings

[I-like-to-read]

Declan wrote: "I-like-to-read wrote: "Thanks but I really don't want to ruin the ending for some.

Kate"

Just mention that it will contain spoilers or that it's for readers who've finished the book. If you get m..."

I found a forum here on Goodreads for chat about this book and there are people who, like me are confused by the end, and others with differing opinions of the end. So I don’t feel so stupid after all.

[Aoibhínn]

I've just began reading The Shakespeare Secret by J.L. Carrell this evening.

[Aoibhínn]

I'm reading The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales.

[[deleted user]]

Reading The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare by G.K. Chesterton. I've been pleasantly surprised, so far. I have high hopes for this.

[Laura]

Sarah wrote: "I am currently reading:


[book:The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration|81..."
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was one of the most interesting and disturbing books I've read all year. My "real time" book club had a great discussion.

[I-like-to-read]

I've just started to read Rules of Civility it is featured in Channel 4's tv book club. Only on page 90 but so far it is an easy read, but can't decide if I am enjoying it or not.

[Aoibhínn]

I've just started reading the third book in the Stephanie Plum series Three to Get Deadly.

[M.]

I am currently reading four book simultaneously...
A Feast for Crows
Just Us
James Potter and the Vault of Destinies
Boy who dreams

[Susan]

Ellie wrote: "I've just started reading the third book in the Stephanie Plum series Three to Get Deadly."

Hey Ellie, I have read all 18 of her books and
I think I should have my head examined. The first 6-8 are hysterical and now they are just the same. The Joe/Ranger debate still rages on. I vowed I will buy no more until I read the reviews first.
If you like funny books there is a new author named Brad Parks whose 3rd book I just read, "The Girl Next Door". Laugh out funny.

[Aoibhínn]

I've started reading Songs Of The Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult.

[Aoibhínn]

I've finished reading Songs Of The Humpback Whale last night and it was awful. Today I've started reading All We Know of Heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

[Aoibhínn]

I've just began reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King today.

[Susan]

Ellie wrote: "I've just began reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King today."

Let me know how it is. I have it in my stack of "to be read". I haven't gotten up the urge yet. It seems to be so long.

[I-like-to-read]

Just finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain - didn't think it was very good. The story was very predictable and had a very cheesey ending.

Have just started Girl Reading hope this is better.

[Mickey]

In My Own Words still Running

[I-like-to-read]

Just finished Girl Reading - didn't think much of it.

Have now just started Middlesex - have heard good things about it so hope it doesn't disappoint.

[Laura]

I just finished Sebastian Barry's On Canaan's Side, a story about a young girl' s forced emigration to the US during the Irish Civil War. at my next chance I am nominating this book for discussion. This story brings up so any complicated themes and questions . although it is not essentially a political bookt it explores the impact of war and violence not only on the young people directly involved but on their family and community in the present and way into the future.